A Black Woman Wears the Green Lantern Ring in ‘Far Sector #1’ Review

“You fucked the world up now, we’ll fuck it all back down”- Janelle Monáe

Far Sector #1 finally dropped *Joe Budden voice*AND I BEEEEEN WAITIN’ Listen, I love when authors/writers from different genres of literature come over into comics. It exposes you to creators whose works you know or heard of coming into the genre/realm you frequent. So when it was announced we were getting a new Green Lantern mini, with a Black woman lead, Jamal Campbell on art and muh fucking N.K. Jemisin on the track? I had to review this. You don’t hear me, I have a Green Lantern tattoo. I had to review this. N.K. Jemisin jumping on Green Lantern is equivalent to an Andre 3 Stacks jumping on a track. an instant Classic. Period.

In a Far Sector Far AF Away

Let’s immediately get to the shits. We open up with a new Green Lantern on the scene, Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein. A Black woman from Earth that we’re still learning about. Lantern Mullein is dealing with a crime scene on a planet that’s the farthest of the 3,600 sectors of space that Green Lanterns patrol. The crime is a murder, the first in 500 years in the City Enduring. Heavy shit, right? There’s no protocol for this as this does not happen. In this city that’s 20 billion people deep, there aren’t murders or killings that is until now. This isn’t a typical “who did it?” mystery. The real question is, why was this done. The events of this murder have us meet chief of police peace, Syzn of The Cliffs, By the Streaking Ice (A Tribe Called Quest rules, you gotta say the whole name), and the Trinity Council that presides over City Enduring.

This council is made up of three representatives from the three races that inhabit these two nearby planets. The Nah, The @AT (pronounced At-At), and the keh-Topli. Jemisin gives us the background of these three races in a quick backstory. There was peace between them for years till an intergalactic empire came through and hit with the… “everything changed with the fire nation attacked.” Colonization even in space, ya hate to see it. The three races came to terms to bring peace among one another through some pretty drastic means. Imma leave the how of that those to see, but it’s an approach that’s very familiar in Green Lantern mythos amongst the higher brass.

You Wanted that Afrofuturism? It’s Here, Fam!

It’s hard not to be hype for this series. It loosely reminds me of Green Lantern John Stewart’s solo series from Gerard Jones and Cully Hamner, Green Lantern: Mosaic. I stress loosely. That series was a trippy, heady, ride but it ain’t get down like this. Not to mention John Stewart never got another solo series but 30 years later, we got a Black woman Green Lantern as the lead on a limited series and I fucking live. I was excited to see how N.K. Jemisin would deliver. One down and she comes through. I love how different the names of the aliens are. Characters named @BLAZEOFGLORY which is both genius and hilarious at the same time. Averrup Thorn, Of The Dry Season Thorns? Hard as fuck. Although we haven’t learned much about Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein yet, Jemisin has kept the intrigue up. GL Mullein’s inner dialogue is perfect, making her very charming and likable from jump.

Can we talk about that art now tho? Jamal Campbell man. I said *Ric Flair voice*, Jamaaaaal. Campbeellllll! Does it yet a-fucking-gain. Anytime Campbell is on the track you know the art and color is going to be A1. It’s going to be chef’s *kiss to fingers*. Campbell is the perfect tag-team partner for N.K. Jemisin on this project. As we’ve seen in Naomi, Campbell knows how to draw space-based characters. Campbell’s makes Green Lantern Sojourner “Jo” Mullein look extremely different from any of the 7,200 lanterns (3,600 sectors of space/ two lanterns per sector [exception being Earth]) we’ve seen prior. Campbell provides the perfect backgrounds, technology, and character looks for this series to truly feel like a different type of space series with a Green Lantern at the center.

Look, I love this shit man. Aint any other way to say it. This is how a Green Lantern book should freaking look. The way N.K. Jemisin presents these aliens’ names, customs, and cultures (that we’ve seen so far) is how you make characters stick out. Jamal Campbell’s visuals on the world building, scenery, and each character’s outfit. I’m ecstatic that this is the Green Lantern we get to rock with in 2019. This is how a space adventure should be. This is that otherworldy shit we been wanting. No more white men taking up space in space, yo. Black women coming for the cosmos, and I’m here for it.